The tussle between the lieutenant governor and Delhi government has resulted in a peculiar situation in the city. There are two home secretaries working with the government now.

While there is only one sanctioned post, the Aam Aadmi Party government had on Tuesday transferred home secretary Dharam Pal from the position. But lieutenant governor reinstated him and asked to continue on the same post.

But according to the Aam Aadmi Party government, services secretary Rajender Kumar has been given the additional responsibility of the home department. Kumar cleared all files related to the home department on Wednesday, the government claimed.

According to official sources, Satyendra Jain, who is the minister in-charge of the home department, had sent out a letter saying that Dharam Pal no longer holds the office and no files should be sent to him.

Jain warned that action will be taken against those who fail to comply with the government’s order.

Sources said while Dharam Pal sat in his office on the fifth floor and also cleared files, the AAP government maintained he is no longer the home secretary.

Officers are now unsure whether to follow the minister’s order or Lt. Governor’s directions.

Sources said Dharam Pal refused to obey Jain’s order and claimed that he would follow the instructions of the L-G.

“Vide order no. 297 dated 9.6.15 Dharam Pal, IAS, has been repatriated and Rajender Kumar, secretary has been assigned the additional charge of secretary (home). According to the rules, being the home minister it is within my power to decide as to how the department is to be run and accordingly it is directed that all files shall be submitted by the concerned additional secretary/special secretary to Rajender Kumar who is presently holding the charge of secretary (home),” states the letter sent to the home department by Jain.

Home ministry sources indicated the AAP government had exceeded its brief when it placed Dharam Pal’s services at the disposal of the Centre since neither the chief minister nor the Lt-Governor wield this power.

This is not the first time that civil servants have been caught in the crossfire between the L-G and the Aam Aadmi Party government.

Recently, Anindo Majumdar was removed by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as principal secretary of the services department after he issued a notification appointing senior bureaucrat Shakuntla Gamlin as the acting chief secretary following instructions of Najeeb Jung.